West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1887-12-15


Vs'aohshing too close a relationship between
inc operations OF tho Government trcas,u y
ana the business of the country, and too az.
sSnslNe coniminglng OF their money, thus
fostering an unnatural reliance i'm private
business upon public funds. n this schcn,e
should be adopted IL should only be done M a
temporary eNpcdicnt To meet an urgent no
veSS' Legislative and executive effort
Naouid generally bo in the opposite direction
aud should have a tendency TO uivorce. as
much and rs fast as can safely be done, the
treasury Department from private enter
prise
OF course II Is not expected that unneces.
Sary anu extravagant appropriations will be
made for the purpose OF avoiding tho accu.
mutation OF an occeSSivo revenue. Such OK
penditure, beside the Generalization or all
Just conceptions of public duty which il en-
tails, stimulates n habit OF reckless improvi-
dence not In the least consistent with tho
mission OF our people or the high and benofi.
cent purposes OF our Governments
nave deemed 10 my duty Co thus bring To
the knowledge of my countrymcn, as well as
TO the attention OF ther representatives
charged with the responsibility of legislative
relief. the gravity OF our financial situation.
Inc tai,ure OF tho Congress heretofore To pro.
vide against the dangers which IL was uuite
evident the very nature of the difficulty must
nocess nrily produce caused a condition of
financial distress and apprehension since your
last adjournment, which taxed To tho utmost
all tho authority and expedients within Ex.
ecutlNe control; and These appear now To be
e@haustod. II DISASTER r,sults from tho con
tinued inaction OF CongrCss, the responsibility
must rest whore 10 belongs.
Though the situation thus far consid
cred Is trlught with danger which should bo
fully realized, and though IL presents featares
oil wrong to the people as well as peril TO tho
country, IL is result growing ont OF "A per
fecty palpable and apparent cause, con.
stintly reproducing tho same alarming cir.
cunNtanco5-a congested national treasury
and depleted monetary condition i'm tho
business of the country IL need hnrdlv bo
stated that whilo tho present situation do
mands remedy, we can only be saved from
liko prediCamdnt In ths future by the re
moval OF its cause.
Our scheme OF tax alton, by means OF which
thls needless surplus istaken from the peop'e
anu put into the public treasury, consists OF
a tariff or duty Levied upon importat ons
t:0m abroad, and internal revenue taxes
levied upon the consumption OF tonacco and
bplIltuQus ahd malt liquors. IL must be con.
ceded that none Of these things subiac to
internal revenue taxation are, strickiy sneak.
ing, nccesSaries; there appears b bo no lust
complaint OF this taxation by the consumers
oil those articles and there SEEMS 90 loo moth
ing so well able to bear the burden without
hardship TO any portion of the people,
But our present tariff laws, the vicious, I'm.
equitable and illogical source of unnecessary
taxation, ought 10 be at once revised and
amended. These laws ns their primary md
plain effect, raise the price to consumers of nll
articles imported and subject 20 duty, by pre-
cisely the sum paid for such duties. Thus the
amount OF the duty measures the tax paid by
those who purchase for use thoss ininorted
articles. Many of these things however. nre
raised or manufactured I'm our own country
and the duties now levied upon foreign goods
ana products are called protection to thoso
homo manufactures. because thev render A.
possible for those of our people who are manu-.
facturers 20 make the taxed articles and sell
them for price equal To that demanded for
imported goods that have paid custo ms duty
so it happens that while comparatiyelv N fcw
uso the imported articles, millions OF our
people, W ho never use and never saw any of
the foreign prod ucts, purchase and use things
OF the same kind ma do i'm this country, and
pay therefore nearly or quite the same en-
hanced price which the duty adds TO the i'm
ported articles Those W no buy imports pay
the duty charged thereon i'm the public treas-
ury, but tho great ma djority " our citizens
who buy domestic articles OF the saifie class
pay sum at least approxi mately equal 10
this duty 10 tho home manufa cturer This
reference TO the operation of our tariff laws
IS not made by way Of instruct ion but i'm
order That we may be constantly reminded OF
the manner ~ which they impose n burden
upon those who consume domestic products NJ
wei as those who consume imported articles
and thus create n tax upon all our people
III ~ not proposed 20 entirely relieve the
country OF this taxation. IL must be extern
byely continued as the source OF the Govern
ments income; and in read dius tnent Of our
tariff the interests of American labor ENGAGED
in manufacture should be carefully C1nsid-
cred, as well as the preservation OF our manu-.
f0cturers II may be called protection, or by
any other name, but relief from the hardships
ana dangers OF our present tariff laws should
DC devised with especial preraution against i'm
periing the existence Of our manufacturing
Interests. But this existence should not mean
ncUnditioh which. without regard 30 the pablic
welfare or a national eKigcncy, must al Ways
insure the realization OF immense profits in
stead of moderately profitable returns. As
tho volume and diversity OF our national
activities increase, new recruits are added 10
those who desire a continuation OF tho ad van
Jdges which they 0nceivo the present system
OF tauh toXatiJn directly affords thent 50
btubbOrniy have all efforts e. reform thd
present condition been resisted by those OF
Our fellow-citzens thus engaged, that they
can hardly complain Of the suspicion. enter.
tained to n certain extent, that. there exists
on organized combination all alOU0 ths iibd
10 maintain their advantage
We are in the midst OF centennial celebra-
lions, and with becoming pride we re Oics in
American skill and ingenuity in American en-
erEy and enterprise and in the wonderful nat
ural advantage and resources developed by "A
century national growth. Yet when au at
tempt Is made 20 justify a scheme which per
mits q tax b. be laid upon every consumer in
the land for the benefit Of our manufacturers
quite beyond a reasonable demand for govern.
mental regard, 1t suits the purposes Of ndvo.
cacy 70 call our manufactures infant indus
tries, still needing the highest and greatest
degree Of favor and fostering care that can DO
wrung from Federal legislation
II is ato said that the increase In the price
Of domestic manufactures resulting from tho
present tariff is necessary in order that Higher
wages may be paid ~ our wdrkinanien end
plOyed in manufactures than are paid for
what BE- called the pauper labor OF Europe All
Will acknowledge the force Of an argument
which involves the welfare and liberal corn
pensatiOn Of our lnbOring people. Our labor
ig honorable in the owes Of every American
citizen and as 10 lies 40 tho foundation on 0lf
development and progress 20 is entitled, with
Put aHcctatiOn or hypocrisy, % the utmost
regard The standard OF our labOrerS life
should not he measured by that of any other
country less favored and they are entitled TO
their fun share Of oil our advantages
BY the last census 20 is made TO appear
thnt of the 1882 W9 Of our population en-.
gagged iu al kinds Of industries IG1O. .493 arc
employed in agriculture. 4.O14 2}S in prOfes-
hiOnal nnd personal service. f2.gf. .s16 Of
whom are domestic servants and labOrcrsJ
while I,slO,1JG are employed in trade and
udnsI ortotiOn. and S,H51, li3 are clnssed as
emp.oycd in manufacturing and mining
For present purposes, however. the last
number given should be- considerably re-
duccd. without attempting ~ enumerate
ail, DO VIII be- conceded that there should be
deducted from those which DO includes 37j. .fE3
carpenters and joiners, 4Sj. fOl millinors,
drcs' makers, and seamstroesez, 1I2.13j black.
miths, l83,1jG t0iiOrs and taii0reses. iO2, ,4l3
mas9ns, 46@ll butchers, ~ ,8JJ bakers 2,O8
piasterers, ond 4, S)l Engaged in manufactur.
lng agricultural implements, amounting in